northern lights

Friday, 24 February 2012

Examination is here again!Almost every household is afflicted by the scare of Exams ,which strikes at this time of the year.It is like a legacy passing on from generations gone by to the youngest member of the family.Whether a child is in Class 1 or in the last class of school or college,no one can escape its clutches.. It is immaterial,what exam the individual is appearing for.To each one his own!! Every stage is important.The transition from a lower class to a higher one is a challenge not only for the examinees but for the entire family .

We have all grown facing the onslaught of an exam year after year.Whether it was the initial class of the school or the last class of college or for that matter a competitive exam for appointment/promotion in our profession, the psyche is the same.The stress and strain engulfs everyone who is going to appear for the exam! Sometimes this tension filters down to the entire family. As the exams approach nearer all leisure plans, parties and outings are suspended Every body forgets the age old dictum,'all work and no play' makes Johny a dull boy'.The child,who has to appear for the exams, needs some relaxation,something light, to refresh him and to enable him to have some diversion.This well earned leisure will take him much ahead of those who sit in front of books brooding! It is very essential that the child should get adequate sleep.Some children take pleasure in stating that they study the whole night.This habit does more harm than good.A human body needs 6 to 7 hours of sleep every day. A good sleep refreshes,recuperates and rejuvenates not only our body but also our soul.It activates the brain.Prolonged and excess sleep makes a person dull,listless and lethargic. Early to bed and early to rise is an age old saying that still holds good.It inspires and invigorates the individual. The environment where the child studies must be congenial.All clutter should be removed.A peaceful and clean surrounding will go a long way in enhancing the will to read. The examinees,when preparing for the exams, must take good and nourishing diet.One should never skip breakfast. For the students preparing for the exam it is all the more important to have breakfast A boiled egg should form a part of the items served for breakfast..The meals should comprise a healthy and nourishing combination of food items. The student should take food which has more protein's and less carbohydrates.Such food will give more energy and strength.Dry fruits like almonds , raisins, and walnuts can be consumed as they act as tonic for the brain. Fruits should be given to the child at regular intervals. Fruit juices and lime water provide lot of energy.Fluids have a quality to remove body fatigue and release tension .I am giving below a recipe to make Suji (Semolina) ladoo, which is tasty and nutritious.It is easy to make . I remember my Mom used to prepare them and release one every day. Ingredients:

Suji (semolina ) coarsely ground 2 cups

Sugar 1 cup

Milk 3/4th cup

Cashew nuts, almonnds,raisins 1/4 cup

Ghee 3 teaspoons

Method:

Heat the ghee

Add dry fruits and stir till golden in colour

After removing the nuts, in the same vessel add Suji and stir till light brown on slow heat.

Now add sugar and continue to stir till the Suji is becomes sticky.

Add milk slowly and carefully,stirring all the while ,so that no lumps are formed.

Keep stirring till the milk evaporates.

Add the fried nuts and remove from the fire

Grease your palms and take little portions of Suji and form them into lemon size balls. Keep them on a greased plate and allow them to solidify. When cool, store them in an air tight container.With proper planning the examination need not be a tear jerker but a pleasant experience!!Good Luck!!!

Monday, 6 February 2012

Ha,ha,ha ,,,,,,what's this sound? Where is it originating from? Ya,yah, yah, yes it is very much the sound of . laughter emanating from the next room. Why should I not join? Laughter is infectious,yes more infectious than cold or cough.A broad smile involuntarily surfaces on the contours of my lips.As I join the crowd this smile turns into uncontrollable laughter. After all laughter is a free commodity.It is under no trade mark,no limitation and no restriction. Its has no boundaries, no religion, no countries and no divisions. It is all pervasive!!A smile starts from the lips,a grin spreads to the eyes

A humorous person is instantly adopted in any gathering.His pleasant demeanour,and strong sense of cheer binds him to others. Laughter is like a tonic. It acts strongly and effectively to pull you out of any sort of stress.Laughter Clubs all over the city are an interesting site to watch. Fifty or more people, with hands raised high, laughing simultaneously at the pitch of their voice, release not only their tension but also of the passers-by, who partake in this laughter by default, leave their stress and tension there itself. This is the effect of laughing It evokes a joint spirit of togetherness and at the same time binds them and strengthens their intimacy.Over and above it does not cost any thing.Smile and laughter will make your day sparkling with happiness!!

In the work place, if a person is sociable and pleasing, he will be sought after by everybody.It is a powerful antidote to tension and conflicts, it eases the atmosphere of burden and increases the energy of the employees and induces alertness in them.Have a hearty laugh at every amusing situation.Even on those days when the boss is in rage, a smile will make the situation lighter and bearable.In professions, specially teaching and medicine ,a smiling face can work wonders.

·“A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around.”This famous quote lays down that we should have full hearted and full throated laughter. Imagine a glum faced teacher entering your class and business like utters a few words, which no one appreciates.On the other side a pleasant looking and a jovial teacher attracts great interest and attention.The same is true of Doctors.

We should consciously develop our sense of humour.We should not take ourselves too seriously.We have all heard the famous saying Laugh and the world will laugh with you;cry and you will cry alone.The word humour in itself ,when expanded contains the following elements, according to my understanding.

H for Hilarity

U for Ulta-pulta

M for Mirth

O for Oddity

U for Upside down

R for Revelry

I will conclude this piece with a quotation from Sebastien Chamfort--"The most wasted of all days is the day one did not laugh".In any case I agree with Arnold Glasgow that laughter is a tranquiliser wity no side effects and as penned by Mary Poole "He who laughs, lasts"

Friday, 3 February 2012

the fabric of society. It appears that the world has come closer. Gone are the days when it was an uphill task to contact your friends and relatives staying in distant places. You had to completely depend on the red coloured dome–like structure, the letter box, fixed in every colony emptied three or four times every day.The question frequently asked was, ‘when is the next post?’ The letters, which were treated as urgent,were hurriedly completed to catch the next post. The people used to wait expectantly for the postman to bring their letters of appointments, results,news from their friends relatives or parents. The arrival of the postman was hailed. He too became a harbinger of joy, and sorrows for some.The postman was a sort of family member partaker in the the joys and sorrows of the families.Now the post men are a rare species.We oldies look at the transformation with awe and wonder at the speed with which the gizmo's are replacing the old order at a marvellous speed. But for the young generation all this change is a routine matter.They proudly flaunt their new acquisitions .Sms's and e-mails have have taken over as new modes of communication.Just by pressing a button we can have access to any part of the world within a blink of the eye.It appears that we hold the whole world in our palm!! I remember that when I was in School(in the year 1950) we were asked to write an essay 'India in the 1980's.At that time we could not even visualise onslaught of the wonders of technology at such a rapid pace.The mobile phones have stormed the society as no other invention.The mobile phone is no longer a wonder which you can flourish with pride as it is now become commonplace.It is a different matter that new features are being added to the mobile phones every day. Recently I finished writing my autobiography.This was a gigantic task This could be accomplished with the help of a computer.This is another marvel, which is the gift of modern technology to mankind.You just press a button and lo! the whole world unfurls before you.In its bowel are hidden all that is to be known.Whether it is entertainment, cooking, philosophy, spirituality, or science......you name it and with a click of the 'mouse' you have it!! Like Alladin and his magic lamp nothing is impossible!!It is a wonder of wonders that you play gamesBridge,Scrabble,Rummy,Chess and several other games with opponents across the world.You can chat with friends and send or receive mail.This innocuous looking box keeps you wondering that what all is hidden within its belly. Another awe inspiring gizmo is the Skype.From the comfort of your home you can, not only speak. but have a tete-a tete with friends and relatives face to face.It is a boon for the people who live far away from their dear ones and can freely converse within the precincts of their privacy. There are innumerable wonders which are the gifts of advancement of knowledge.They have made life more comfortable and satisfying.From morn to eve you are surrounded by all that is beautiful and wonderful.Early morning you go to the wash room,keep your hands under the tap and water starts flowing freely, come to the dining table and steaming hot breakfast is ready with the microwave. Go to office in an air conditioned car without sweating and swearing.In the office you are surrounded by a multitude of gadgets, waiting to assist you and make your working enjoyable.Go home and relax in your electronic blanket.No struggle, no labour and no pain.